6 Two a Day Workouts for Runners {Monthly Workout Round Up}

Easy runs, long runs, speed work, Pilates/yoga, strength training, and cross training: a balanced training plan can seem overwhelming when you contemplate every type of workout to include. You certainly don’t want to overtrain but you don’t want to neglect any one aspect of fitness. So how do you fit everything into one week? Today I’m teaming up with the same wonderful running bloggers from last month’s indoor workouts for runners round up to bring you 6 two a day workouts for runners!

Why break your workout into two parts? First off, it’s practical for most schedules. A traditional 9-5 work schedule leaves limited time both before and after work. It is much easier to add in two 30-60 minute workouts rather than a single 1-2 hour workout.

Second, splitting your workout in two allows for high quality workouts. After a run, all I want to do is shower and eat, not lift weights! Not to mention that if I completed a harder run, my muscles aren’t exactly primed for the heavy lifting of kettlebell workouts or the precise movements of Pilates. The recovery time between two a day workouts allow you to complete both workouts without pushing yourself too hard.

For example, instead of following my morning runs with another 20-30 minutes of lifting or Pilates, I do exactly that: shower, eat, give my muscles time to recover during the work day, and then complete my second workout of strength training or Pilates in the evening.

If you are new to two a day workouts, be sure to ease into them. Start off with the combination that feels most comfortable and approachable to you. If you never have done speed work, then don’t add an interval workout as your second workout. Emphasize recovery nutrition and proper hydration between workouts as well.

Your two a day workouts should follow the hard/easy principle. Ideally, the day before and the day after will be easy days with a low-intensity workout/easy run or rest days.

6 Two a Day Workouts for Runners

The first workout of my two a day workout is a multi-pace tempo + speed interval run. If you follow my training or work with me as your running coach, you will know that I enjoy multi-pace workouts: they help you tune into what a particular pace feels like and teach you to run fast at the end of a run.

After warming up for 10-20 minutes of easy running and performing some dynamic stretches, you run 2 intervals of 10 minutes at tempo pace and 5 minutes easy. Tempo pace is between 10K and half marathon pace—moderately hard but steady and controlled. After the second interval, you then run 5 intervals of one minute at hard effort and one minute easy. Then you cool down with 10-20 minutes of easy running! In one hour, you have run at your threshold and speed work paces.

Since you ran hard in the morning, let’s give your legs a bit of a break and focus on core and upper body strength. A strong core and upper body are essential for maintaining proper and efficient running form during fast running, as you likely noticed during this morning’s running workout. This bodyweight strength workout will take about 15 minutes to complete.

Complete 2 sets of 15 reps of:Pushups: Get into a raised plank position with your arms beneath your shoulders. While keeping your back straight, your hips steady, and your abs pulled in, bend your elbows and lower yourself down. Pause, then push slowly back up to complete one rep.Side Plank Raises: Lie on your right side with your shoulders, hips, and feet in a straight line, and rest on your right forearm. Make sure your hips are stacked and pull your abs in to engage them. Use your core to push your hips up, so that only your feet and forearm are on the ground. Pause for 5 seconds, then lower to complete one rep. Complete all reps and then switch to your left side.Single-leg bridges: Lie on the the ground with your knees bent and your feet on the floor near your butt. Lift your right leg off the ground and extend it straight. While keeping your leg raised, your hips level, and your abs pulled in, raise your hips up towards the ceiling, forming a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Slowly lower down to complete one rep. Once you complete all reps, switch legs and repeat on your left side.Supermans: Lie on your stomach with your arms extended in front of you and your legs extended behind you. Pull in your abs and lift your chest, arms, and legs off the ground. Be sure to keep your shoulders down and back so they don’t hunch up by your ears. Lower down to the ground for one rep.Windshield Wipers: Lie on your back with your legs raised in the air at a 90 degree angle from the ground. Extend your arms out from your sides like a T for balance. Keep your legs glued together and slowly lower them down to your right side (parallel with your arms), up, and then down to your left side and up again for one rep. If this is too hard, bend your knees.

Now for the other workouts! I love the variety that these round ups bring, since each blogger/runner has a different perspective and background in training.

Reader Interactions

Comments

I used to run in the morning and then have yoga later, or yoga and then strength. During rehab (like now), because my rehab appointment is in the afternoon, I will do strength and a little strength-cardio (like step mil) in the morning to help with stiffness.

I used to split up my workouts like this, but lately I don’t feel like I have the time or energy to do anything after work. I like the strength training you included though- sounds like it wouldn’t take much time!

Thanks for the tips and workout suggestions! I often work out twice a day… strength training in the morning then running in the evening. If I run I like to do it all together (I feel like a 9 mile run provides more benefits than a 4 then 5). I have no clue how runners training for a race fit in strength training or stretching/yoga if they don’t work out twice a day occasionally.

Great ideas here! I keep thinking that maybe in the summer when my son is at sleepaway camp that maybe I would find the energy to try pure barre later in the day or try an evening class. right now I do pure barre before I run or right after (usually before). this works for me since I really don’t like to work out later in the day but I have considered it to change things up.

Yay! These are great! I’ve been doing bridges but just did the single leg bridge yesterday and my glutes are so incredibly weak that I couldn’t even finish them. I have a long way to go. I am VERY unbalanced in my core/hips. I wish I had started these years ago.

When people hear two workouts, one day – they freak! I don’t do it all the time but it’s actually the easiest thing to do when you have a mile long TO DO list as a runner. Or at least a runner that has a life outside of running and who wants to stay strong and injury free! I love your workout – definitely doing soon!

I am crossfitter and these workout plans are come in handy for me!I found your post from Pinterest! I’m also gonna pin this post on my Pinterest board my followers will love it. Thanks for sharing Laura!

When I first visit this site and try to look what this site talks about I was really amazed with.WOW!fantastic.You could have get new important and interesting topic to be discuss. Really feel great that I visit this site.

I love this post! I’m definitely saving it for later. Sometimes it’s hard balancing the various modes of training with even just one workout a day, let alone managing two. I love the amount of different workouts you shared. Will be trying some of these for sure!

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Welcome to Team Norris Running!

Hi, I'm Laura! I'm a distance runner, RRCA certified running coach, and outdoor enthusiast living in Northwest Indiana. Whether you want to run your first race or qualify for Boston, I'm here to help you achieve your personal best with training tips and individualized run coaching.